knit together

December 26, 2015

My time in the womb (Ps 139:13-139:18)

“You formed my inward parts.

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you!

I am fearfully made.

I am wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works!

I know them very well.

My frame was not hidden from you.

I was being made in secret.

I was intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

In your book were written

All the days that was formed for me,

When none of them as yet existed.

How weighty to me are your thoughts!

O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them,

They are more than the sand.

I come to the end.

I am still with you.”

In beautiful colorful language, David, the psalmist, describes his life in the womb, and how he came to be. He was knit together in the womb of his mother by Yahweh. Thus pregnancy is time of knitting. He was made in secret as Yahweh intricately wove him in the depths of the womb. Earth was like the womb. He praised Yahweh for the wonderful work he had become, even as an unformed substance in the womb of his mother. Yahweh had this book of life where he kept track of his future days here on earth. The thoughts of Yahweh are so vast and deep that they cannot be counted because they are like the sands of the seashore. Even now, that his life is now ending, he still was with Yahweh. This is a masterful section about the womb as a place where Yahweh was knitting and weaving the human before his birth. What a powerful argument against abortion.

August 3, 2015

A description of Behemoth (Job 40:15-40:18)

“Look at Behemoth!

I made it as I made you.

It eats grass like an ox.

Its strength is in its loins.

Its power is in the muscles of its belly.

It makes its tail stiff like a cedar.

The sinews of its thighs are knit together.

Its bones are tubes of bronze.

Its limbs like bars of iron.”

Behemoth seems to be some kind of wild beast, a large hippopotamus, an ancient monster. Yahweh made this monster. The biblical author has Yahweh give a description of this monster that makes it seem like a hippo. This monster ate grass like an ox. Its power came from its loins and belly, while it had a stiff tail like a large tree. Its thighs seemed to be knit together with bronze bones and limbs like iron bars. Thus the idea that this is a large hippopotamus seems correct.

July 7, 2015

Job recalls his creation by God (Job 10:8-10:17)

“Your hands fashioned and made me.

Now you turn and destroy me.

Remember that you fashioned me like clay.

Will you turn me to dust again?

Did you not pour me out like milk?

Did you not curdle me like cheese?

You clothed me with skin and flesh.

You knit me together with bones and sinews.

You granted me life.

You granted me steadfast love.

Your care has preserved my spirit.

Yet these things you hide in your heart.

I know that this was your purpose.

If I sin, you watch me.

You do not acquit me of my iniquity.

If I am wicked,

Woe to me!

If I am righteous,

I cannot lift up my head.

I am filled with disgrace.

Look upon my affliction.

Bold as a lion,

You hunt me.

You repeat your exploits against me.

You renew your witnesses against me.

You increase your vexation toward me.

You bring fresh troops against me.”

Job used very descriptive terms to explain his creation by God. The concept of the hands and eyes of God were a common theme among these biblical writers who were talking about a spiritual God. The God who created Job was now trying to destroy him. Job was like clay and would return to dust. He could be poured out like milk or curdled like cheese. His skin was like clothes and his bones were knit together. God had given Job life and love. However, God’s heart is hidden. Job knew that if he sinned or was wicked, he would not be acquitted. He could not lift his head because of his disgrace and affliction. He knew that God would come after him like a lion, with many witnesses and fresh troops.